Страница 28 из 73
Kilga
Constance glided quietly into the station in their wake, a small, bird-like man with the bite of a velociraptor. He had been taking chunks out of cops and police lawyers for years and was feared just as much as the powerful men he frequently represented. Co
He and his clients sat on one side of the table while Addison and Narey sat on the other. It was an informal interview, nothing under caution or recorded, an act of assistance on the part of Mr Kilga
‘My clients are here to assist in any way they can but I have let it be known that they are as mystified as I am as to how you think they might be able to help you. You say that a deceased person once took lodging at a property owned by my clients and, even if that is indeed the case, their co
‘If that is indeed the case then your clients have nothing to worry about, Mr Constance,’ Addison replied. ‘However it would be very helpful if they could outline for us the working practices at the Rosewood Hotel, the number of employees positioned there and their identities. I would also like to ask them for a detailed list of people staying there in the past six months.’
Kilga
Constance spread his arms wide, his face a picture of i
Addison was about to tell him just what he meant when the lawyer cut him off by opening a folder in front of him and picking up a number of sheets of A4 paper in a clear plastic pocket. He placed them on the desk in front of the two officers.
‘Everything you require is in there, Detective Chief Inspector. It lists five employees. Their names, addresses, National Insurance numbers, employment history and contact details are enclosed within. We would insist that you inform us of any plans to interview any of them as I am their legal counsel and would be present at any such meeting.’
‘Only five? For a building that size?’
‘It is a well-run, well-organized company run by two outstanding businessmen. Five employees are sufficient.’
Narey’s temperature rose a couple of degrees. ‘Well run? You are telling us that place is well run?’
Neither Kilga
‘Let’s move on.’ Addison knew he had to be quick before Narey bit back and he just managed it. ‘But you should maybe get off your high horse, Mr Constance, and remember you’re not playing to a jury. You’re clients’ business isn’t on trial here. Not yet. But we do want to know if they can help us with why Euan Hepburn was staying in the Rosewood Hotel.’
Kilga
‘Detective Chief Inspector . . .’ Constance laboured the title as if he were talking to a child. ‘My clients ca
Narey’s kettle began to boil over. ‘Bollocks.’
‘DI Narey . . .’ Addison and Constance chimed warnings in different tones. She ignored both.
She lost it. ‘The Rosewood Hotel is a shithole and we all know it. Your clients are raking in money at the expense of the health and mental well-being of people who are out of their faces on drink and drugs. They don’t give a monkey’s about the people who stay there as long as they continue to screw them and the taxpayer out of housing benefit. Your clients are morally bankrupt and I’m not sure you’re much better for representing them.’
Constance seemed to relish the outburst. ‘DCI Addison, are you going to allow the newly promoted DI to continue to speak in such intemperate and undoubtedly slanderous terms? I suggest you might do well to protect her from herself by disabusing her of the notion that she can throw about such remarks without consequence.’
Addison barely concealed a smirk. ‘I’d say that DI Narey is perfectly capable of looking after herself without any protection from me. And I’ve not heard her yet say anything that isn’t true. If this was a court of law, which it isn’t, I think our lawyers would be calling Veritas.’
Co
Narey could see the amusement in Addison’s eyes as he turned to her. He loved a fight and it was tickling him that he was the one having to rein her in. ‘What do you think, DI Narey?’
‘I am all in favour of civility. Let’s go with that. Euan Hepburn was a freelance journalist. We believe he was in the Rosewood Hotel to expose the practices that take place there and the callous treatment of the poor bastards - my apologies, residents - who have to stay there. Are your clients aware of any particular failings within the Rosewood that Mr Hepburn may have been interested in?’
Kilga
‘Yet more intemperate language, DI Narey? At least you had the good grace to apologize for it on this occasion. I do not believe my clients are aware of any such failings. Nor were they previously aware of Mr Hepburn’s rather dubious behaviour, if indeed it was as you describe it.’
‘Why don’t we let them tell us? After all, they must be better placed than you to say what they were and weren’t aware of.’
‘Well that is a very helpful suggestion, DCI Addison, and I thank you for making it, but I am here to represent my clients. They are both wary of being tricked into saying something they don’t mean. No offence whatsoever is intended when I say that they are aware of police officers employing underhand methods to extract unwitting statements and they do not wish to be duped in such a way.’
Addison sighed heavily and shifted slightly to face away from the lawyer. ‘Mr Kilga
Neither man twitched. They stared at Addison as if he were something stuck to their shoe.
‘Anything at all, gentlemen?’ Narey had had enough. ‘Drug taking on the premises, perhaps? Hygiene breaches?’
Brian Wells was begi